Danger-signal.



A. DOMS'R.

DANGER SIGNAL.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 31, 191s.

atened Oct. 2G, 1914.

2 SHEETSSHEBT l.

A. DOMSER.

DANGER SIGNAL.

APPLICATION FILED JULYsI, 191s.

Patented Got. 20, w14.

2 SHBETS*SHEBT 2,

IV/ TN'ESSES f. m e N www W E A Unirnnsrarns rmnnr ANTHONY beissen, or synacirsn, New Yoan.

"i ,"nnnGnasIGnAL. y

Specilicaton of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 2Q, 1914:.

Application fied July 31,1913; sealan. 782,379,

T (IU .107mm t may concern Be 1t known that I, ANTHONY DoMsEn, a

citizen of the United States, residing at- Syracuse. in the county of Onondaga and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Danger cation. y

This invention relates to improvementsin danger signals, and has for its object to proyide a novel, simple and effective signaling apparatus, designed for giving a warning to automobilists, as well as drivers of other road vehicles, of the near approach to ra-ilroad crossings, sharp and dangerous curves, 'approaches to bridges and the like. And a further object is to provide combined audible and visual signals to be stationed yalong highways wherein the audible alarm is set in operation by the travel of the vvehicles,i while the visual signal remains fixed or con'- stunt.

The various-features and parts of the in-f vention will be understood from the detailed description which follows, and by reterence to the accompanyingdrawings, which form a part of the speclhcatlon, and 1n which- Fig. 7. Fig. 7 is an enlarged. cross-sectional' `view of the road-box, taken on line 7 7 of Fig. 6; showing the operating lparts in the idle position. Fig. 8 is a similar view; shwing the signal actuating parts in the operated position.

My signaling apparatus comprises two arts namel a signal tower or ost which is located at the side of a roadway or highway, preferably two or three liun lredieet from a danger point, and a road-box, which islocated at a relatively short distance from the tower, and which is disposed crosswise in the right-hand side of the roadway relatively to the tower, the two parts being operatively connected as will appear from the yfollowing description. y

AIn the drawings, my signal towergor ypost Signals, of which the following is a speciii comprises a hollow upright column 2, the lower end of which is preferably sunk into the earth at the side of' the highway, and is suitably anchored by means of bars or parts 3 and 3', for holding the tower truly -upright, as shown.

l represents the signal-box or casing, which is mounted on top ol the column 2 one side being open, and partially covered by a latticed part 5, for allowing the sounds ofa signal bell or gong (3 to escape. The

gong is preferably lmounted on the inner rear wall of the box 4, in any suitable manner, or by means of a plate or base 6'.' The top oli the box si. is sloped for shedding water. Extending above the signal-box, on its front side, is a sign-board 7, upon which letters, as .lt lt, meaning railroad, or any vrother suitable characters may be placed, :for giving a-visual signal to drivers of vehicles as they approach the tower., The signal? comprising the gong 6, may follow any of the usual constructions, and may be sounded by any suitable means, as by a pull wire 12. The wire 12 passes downwardly through the tower 2 vmay be made of any suitable material, either metal or wood. p l

' The road-box preferably consists of an elongated hollow metal body comprising tower or post 2, as best seen in Fig. 1. The

several parts, as follows: 15 and '15 reprefi sent the sides of the box, which are substantially alike. and which are disposed parallel to each other, the bottom edges ofthe sides having inwardly facing lianges 16 upon ywhich rests a metallic bottoni 17 The sides land bottom are then held vtogether by a series of bolts 18, which extend transversely through the box, as best seen in Figs. 3, 5, 7 and '8. 19 represents a series of transverse partitions disposed vertically at intervals intermediate the ends of the box, and these arexpreferably detacl'iable, but may be cast with the bottom 17 if desired. The partitions 19 interlock with the bottom 17 by means of lugs 19', and they' are held in upright position by the sides when the bolts 18 are tightened up. The open top of the box ,is elosedb y a cover 20, which is preferably made of metal and loosely fits in the said opening. The upper surface of the cover is preferably slightly curved or crowned, and projects a few inches above the surface ofthe road, as shown. The cover 2O is intended to rock laterally and to yield downwardly bythe weight of a vehicle when passing over it. .The rocking cover or plate 2O is pivoted at each end, by means of gudgeons 21 carried by the said plate, which 'are journaled in end portions 22 and 23. vThe end portion 2) is preferably interlmiked with the sides and 15 by means of dowels 24, as best seen in Fig. 6. vThe end 28 is preferably re- I niorably heldin place by a bolt 24;', which pierces the sides of the box and also lugs 25 formed on the inner face of said end. Intermediate the ends of the box, the rocking tread 20is supported by the partitions 19,

and for this purpose, the tops of the said partitions are provided with semi-circular notches 26, which receive the semi-cylindrical portion 27" of a rib 27, which is formed on the under side of the tread 2O which alines and is integral with the gudgeons 21. The arrangement of the tread 2O is such that it will rock or rotate a slight distance on its supports, whenever the wheels A of a vehicle B roll over it in either direction las shown by a comparison-.of Fig. -7 with Fig. S. The' gudgeons 21 and therib 27 are dis-l posed to one side of the center of the tread` 20, so that after the wheels of the vehicle pass over the box, the tread 20 will be restored by Agravity to its normal position shownin Fig 7. The road-box is preferably locatedforty or fifty feet from the signal? towerto which it is connected by a pipe; or other hollow conduit 28 through whichi a'section12 of the pull wire or rod passesi The lower end of the wire '12 connects with an arm 29 of abell-crank, which is pivoted, in the tower 2, atfor near4 the surface of the earth, as best seen in Fig. 1. AOne end ofi the wire 12 connects to the other arm 29; of the bell-crank, while its opposite end con-v nects with acam or lever 30, which is piv-'i oted by 'apiii or bolt 31 to a standard or' lug 32 formed on the bottom 17. The cam 30 also' connects with a lug 38 of the rocking plate 2 0 by means of a link 34'. By this ar.- rangein'ent, whenever the plate 2O is rockedf by the wheels A of the vehicle, from the' position shown in Fig. 7 to that shown in F ig. 8, the link 34 rocks the cam 30, whichl 5 pulls the wires l12 and 12, and the latter sounds the gong.v The gong will' sound:` whenever the tread 20 is rocked by a vehicle,` whether. or not the wheels ofthe vehicle be' comelfre'e from the tread. The arrangement.

of the roadbox is such that' both the Jfront and the rear wheels of an automobile orr wagon will rock the plate 20 and eiiect the soundingfof the gong. 'The road-box'is intended-to be positioned on the right-hand side of the road leading to a danger point,

vrand preferably extends about half way A.across the roadway. `My'road-box is preferably disposed at a slight incline correspending to the crown or slope of the roadway, so as not to project nnevenly above the roadway, and' being thus inclined it is selfdraining', and for this purpose the end p0rtions of the box are provided with openings 35, through which water will escape, as best seen in Fig. 1. e

lily highway signal is extremely simple and practical, and when properly constructved and installed affords both a reliable and effectual warning. to travelers of the near ap'- proach to, dangerous crossings, curves, bridges &o. The signal-box carried by the tower is located in plain view and within earshot of the road-box, and when equipped with a proper gong or bell the warning signal may be plainly heard above the din and noise of the vehicles. Owing to the position and arrangement of the road-box, the alarm is repeated by the .rear wheels, so that inv case the first signal effected by the Jfront wheels is not heard, or is unheeded, the seeattract attention and have the desired eiect.y

Obviously some changes or modilications may be made in the construction, arrangement and operation of my improved danger signal, within the scope defined by the appended claims, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Having thus described my invention, what claim is-- y.

' 1. In a danger signal, a road-box sunk transversely 'in the surface of a roadway, a

rocking cover for said box,\said cover supported intermediate its ends by a series of partitions, a distant signal, a pull-Wire for operating said signal, and a cam-lever positioned in one end of said box, said lever .operatively connected to said coverand to said pull-wire, and adapted to be rocked to and fro corresponding to the movements of said cover when vehicles pass over said box for sounding said signal.

2. In a danger signal, a road-box, com- I Y prising an elongated hollow frame adapted 'to be sunk transversely in the surface of a roadway, a rocking cover for said box, said cover journaled in the ends of the box, and :a

supported intermediate its ends by a series or' partitions, and a cam-lever supported by one of said partitions, said lever operatively connected to the said cover and adapted to be rocked to and ro corresponding to the 

